Ments



H. C. HERR. MACHINE FOR FORMING EXPANDED METAL.

APPLICATION FILED IAN:- 6, I912. 1,195,222

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

mumm H. C. HERB. MACHINE FOR FORMING EXPANDED METAL. APPLICATION manJAN. 6. 1912.

1 1 95 2. I Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' 8 is a plan view citizen of the United HENRY MENTS, TO SOUTH SIDETRUST e. HERB, or rrrrsnunen,rnnnsvnvenm, essrcnoa, BY MESNEassrencomrm, 'rnus'rnn, or rrrrsnuacn, PENNSYL- VANIA, A. CORPORATION OF.PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed January 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be iknown that I, HENRY C. HERB, a States of America, residing atPittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for FormingExpanded Metal, of .which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates forming expanded metal and consists in variousfeatures of construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2is'a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is an end elevation; Fig. 4 is anenlarged elevation showing the engagement of the slitting rolls; Fig. 5is an enlarged cross section of the rolls; Fig. 6 is an enlarged crosssection showing the drawing rolls; Fig. 7 is a cross section showing thegripping jaws for expanding the sheet; Fig. thereof; Fig. 9 is a viewsimilar .to ferent adjustment;Fig. 10 is a side elevation of Fig. 9;Fig. 11 isa side elevation of the cam controlling the ipping jaws; Fig.1% is a plan view of the lank after the first slitting operation; Fig;13 is a similar view of the blank after the second slitting operation.

The machine is particularly designed for the formation of expandingmetal in which a portion of the blank remains unaltered in dimensionsbut is adjacent to and integral with an expanded portion of the sheet.This necessitates the drawing or elongation of the strands forming theexpanded portion of the sheet to compensate for the natural contractingefiect on the length of the sheet due to the lateral expansion thereof.In other words, in the usual process of expanding a stranded sheet theblank is contracted longitudinally as it is expanded laterally, but thiswould not permit of leaving any portion of the sheet unexpanded, for theobvious reason that such portion would be buckled or crimped by thelongitudinal con traction of the sheet. Such an effect is overcome in my.im roved machine by the operation of means or elongating the strandsand by the association of such means with the lateral expandingmechanism.

to machines for.

Fig. 7 showing the parts in dif- TEAOHINEFOR FORMING EXPANDED METAL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 22, ighfio 1912. SerialNo. 669,881.

Another novel feature of my improved machine is the construction forforming the stranded sheet by successive slitting operations.

In detail, A is a suitable frame work upon the forward end of which ismounted 'the sheet stranding mechanism. This stranding mechanismcomprises two pairs of slitting rolls B, B and G, C which successivelyoperate upon the sheet as it is fed therebetween. The rolls B and C areprovided with alternate rings and rooves and the rolls B and C areprovided with corresponding rings and grooves, the rings being however,divided into segments 1) by interruptions D. These segments D engage thegrooves of their corresponding rolls Band C and in the operation ofpassing a sheet metal blank therebetween, each segment will slit anddepress a strand, while the interruptions will leave unslitted bonds.The spacing of the rings and grooves is such as to produce by each pairof rolls, slits separated from each other by the width of strands, whilethe slits produced by the rolls O and C are midway between the slitsproduced by the rolls B and B, and the bonds produced by the respectivepairs of rolls are likewise spaced longitudinally midway between eachother.- Thus after the sheet has passed the second pair of rolls it isproperly stranded for expansion.

In addition to the intermeshing rings and grooves on the rolls B, B andC, 0', each of said rolls is provided with a portion in rolling contactwith'the corresponding portion on the companion roll, the radius of suchportion being less than that of the rings and more than that of thebottom of the grooves. As shown, E and E are the peripheral contactingportions on each pair of rolls, these being arranged at opposite endsand ada ted to leave u on opposite metal blan marginal bands which areunslitted.

The expanding mechanism comprises means for drawing the opposite edgesof the sheet in opposite directions and associated means for elongatingthe strands so as to avoid any contraction in the length of the blank orany crimping stress on the unstranded marginal portions thereof. Forexpanding or enlarging the sheet laterally, I

sides of the s eet preferably employ a series of gripping devergentplanes and are vices whichengage with the margins of the sheet and whichtravels forward therewith but in divergent planes. The specificconstruction is illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10 and com rises a pair ofchains F which travel longitudinally of the bed or frame A in dispringsG. These chains are rovided at suitable intervals with gripperscomprising a laterally extending aw member H fixed to the chain, and apivoted jaw member H which in one position will grip with the jaw H toengage the sheet. The jaw. member H is preferably also provided with apin H for perforating the marginal portion of the sheet and passing into'engagement with a recess Hin the jaw member H thereby forming a withthe sheet. The p votal jaws H are actuated by rolls I thereon whichtravel in engagement with a groove way J mounted upon a frame of themachine, While the chain F is guided bygrooved rolls K and K alsoengaging groove-Ways in the member At the point where the stranded blankfirst comes into engagement with the chains J, the roll I is inengagement with the cam portion J of the guide, which swings the jaw Hinto the position shown in Fig. 9. As soon however, as the blank is inengagement with the under jaw H the jaw H is swung downward by the cam Juntil the pin H engages and perforates the sheet, as shown in Fig. 7 Thedivergent movement of the chains will then draw the opposite jaws of thesheet butward and cause the lateral expansion.

The longitudinal elongation of the strands is preferably effected bysuccessive operations occurring at intervals in the lateral ex pansion.As shown, a series of rolls L, L, etc., are arranged transversely acrossthe machine above and below the stranded sheet and intermediate theunslitted marginal portions thereof. The length of these rolls 1sprogressively increased toward the rear end of the machine and the lastrolls L are of sufiicient length to include the marginal bands as wellas the stranded portion. The slitting operation will cause a certaindegree of elongation in the strands, and therefore, the sheet when firstengaged by the jaws H and H will be expanded laterally to take up thiselongation before reaching the first: air of rolls L. In passing betweenthese rol s the strands are further elongated, providing sufficientslack for the next expansion operation at the completion of which thesecond pair of rolls L engages the strands and further elongates them.Thus the operation is repeated until the full width of expansion isobtained, after which the entire sheet including the u'nexpandedmargins, passes between the rolls L, pressing it into a single plane.

operated by suitable said rolls to As has been pivotal engagement thelongitudinal advance,

At the rear end of the frame the jaws H? are again released bythe rollsI thereof on.

J of'the track and the released sheet is fed out from the gaging anothercam portion machlne.

The rolls L, L, etc., are driven at the proper speed through suitablemechanism such as the spiral gears M which connect a longitudinallyextending drive shaft N and spiral gears 0 connecting the shaft N to theslitting rolls B and C.

stated the grippersH have a plvotal engagement with the sheet by reasonof the pin engaging a recess H. This provides for adjustment necessaryby the slight warping of the sheet in expansion and avoids danger oftearing.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine for expanding metal, the combination with means forprogressively laterally expanding a stranded sheet, of means operatingsuccessively during the progressive expansion for elongating the strandsof said sheet to compensate for angular movement thereof withoutcontraction in length of the blank.

2. In a machine for expanding metal, the combination with means forstranding a sheet leaving portions thereof unstranded, of means forlaterally expanding the stranded portion of the sheet during thelongitudinal'movement thereof, and means operating upon the strandsduring their longitudinal movement to elongate the same and compensatefor the angular movement thereof.

3. In a machine for expanding metal, the combination with means foradvancing a stranded sheet, of means operating during the advance ofsaid the same, and a series of drawing rolls successively operating uponthe strands of the sheet prior to the completion of the expansion toelongate the same and compensate for their angular movement.

4. In a machine for expanding metal, the combination with means foradvancing a stranded sheet, of means for laterally expanding said sheetin the same plane during and a series of progressively increasing lengthoperating u on the strands prior to the completion of t e expansion toelongate the same and to compensatefor the angular movement thereof.

drawing rolls of ,5. In a machine for expanding metal, the

combination of a pair of divergently moving earners, a series ofgrippers on said carriers for successively engaging with the op ositesheet to laterally expand a longitudinally menses i 6. In a machine forexpanding metal, the combination of a pair of divergently movingcarriers, a series of grippers on said carriers for successvelyengagingvwith the opposite margin of a stranded sheet to simultaneouslyfeed and laterally expand the same, each of said grippers comprising apair of jaw'members arranged upon opposite sides of the sheet, and a pinon one member for perforating the sheet and engaging a recess in theother member, forminga piv- I otal engagement.

7. In a machine combination with divergently moving-carriers, of aseries of grippers upon said carriers each comprising a pair of jawspassing respectively below and above the sheet to be expanded, a pinupon one of said members for perforating the sheet and engaging a recessin the other member, and means for moving the pin member into and out ofengagement with said sheet at the opposite ends of the carrier.

8. In a machine for expanding metal, the combination With means forsuccessively engaging with the opposite margins of a stranded sheet tosimultaneously longitudinally feed and laterally expand the same, of

a series of drawmg rolls successively operating upon the strandsintermediate said margin engaglng means prior to the completion of theexpansion to elongate the same and compensate for thereof.

9. In a machine for expanding metal, the combination with means forexpanding a stranded portion of a sheet intermediate unstranded portionsthereof, of means engaging the stranded portion of the sheet forequalizing the length of the stranded and unstranded portions thereof.

10. In a machine for expanding metal, the combination withmeans engagingthe unstranded marginal portions of a stranded sheet for laterallyexpanding the stranded the angular movement for expanding metal, the

I operations,

of the expansion portion and means successively operating upon the.strands for elongating the same.

11. In a machine for expanding metal, the combination with means forlaterally expanding a stranded sheet in the same plane,

of means successively operating upon the strands of the sheet prior tothe completion of the expansion to elongate the same and to compensatefor the angular movement thereof. v

12. In a machine for expanding metal, the combination with means forexpanding a stranded portion of means for elongating the strands priorto the complete expansion thereof by a series of operations.

13. In a machine combination with means engaging the unstranded marginalportions of a stranded sheet for expanding the stranded portion by aseries of operations, of means operating upon the strands previous tothe completion thereof for elongating the same by a series of oerations.

14. In a machine or expanding metal, the combination with means forsimultaneously laterally expanding and longitudinally feeding a strandedportion of a sheet, of successive means operating upon the strands ofsaid sheet to elongate the same and to compensate for the angularmovement thereof.

15. Ina machine for expanding metal, the combination with means forprogressively laterally expanding a stranded sheet, of positivelyrotated rolls operating successively during the progressive expansionfor elongating the strands of said sheet to compensate for angularmovement thereof without contraction in length of the blank.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

' 1 HENRY C. HERB. Witnesses:

C. C. Monnrson, E. F. Rrrnnopa of a sheet by a series of for expandingmetal, the

